Restless Giant is a fascinating account of the life and times of Jean
Aberbach, the elusive music publishing legend who, with his brother
Julian, built one of music history's most powerful popular music
publishing companies: Hill and Range Songs. During the 1940s and 1950s
music publishers, rather than artists and record companies, controlled
the American hit-making machine. Using corporate records, Aberbach's
daybooks, and extensive interviews with top performers and songwriters,
Biszick-Lockwoodweaves an adventure story thatdemystifies this
occupation, showing how Aberbach's keen insights, behind-the-scenes
manipulations, and bold business moves fundamentally changed the music
industry and nurtured the careers of some of America's biggest popular
performers and songwriters.
The Austrian-born Aberbach brothers overtook their American competitors,
capturing entire genres of music to build a privately owned
international "empire of song" while at the same time affording
songwriters unmatched control over their work. This business model
resulted in more than three hundred chart hits and the first-ever song
royalties being paid to songwriters and performers including Bill Monroe
and the Sons of the Pioneers. Biszick-Lockwood also brings new,
intriguing material to the story of Elvis Presley, who shared ownership
with the Aberbachs in two music publishing companiesthroughout his
entire career.